Can-opener.



i 11. w. SHEBHL UN OPENER v APPLICATION FILE? JUNE 14, 1910. l 986,31 9 Patented Mar. 7, 1911.

HARRY W. SHEEHY, OF AKRON, OHIO.

CAN-OPENER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 7, 191.1.

Application filed June 14, 1910. Serial No. 566,880.

To all 'whom it 'may concern.'

Be it known that I, HARRY W. SHEEHY, citizen of the United States, residing at Akron, in the county of Summit and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and uscful Improvements in Can-0peners, of which the following is a specification.

This invention comprehends certain new and useful improvements in can opening devices, and the invention has for its primary object a simple, durable and eflicient construction of a tool of this character which may be easily applied to and adjusted for cans of different sizes and easily manipulated to make a clean eut around the body portion of the can, and without danger of cutting the operators hand.

With this and other objects as will more fully appear as the description proceeds the invention consists essentially in a can opener comprising a handled shank, the handle being adjustably connected to the shank and carrying a cutter, and the shank also carry ing one or more cutters, the adjustable connection between the shank and handle permitting the cut-ters to be brought nearer to and farther away from each other according t0 the size of the can, and the cutters being mounted to rotate whereby, when the device is applied to the top of the can, the same can be cut off with a clean incision by turning the device around the body portion of the receptacle.

The invention also consists in certain constructions, arrangements and combinations of the parts that I shall hereinafter fully describe and claim.

For a full understanding of the invention reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, in w'hich:-

Figure l is a side elevation of my improved can opener. Fig. 2 is a sectional view thereof with parts in edge elevation, and Fig. 3 illustrates the main parts in perspective, detached from each other.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the accompanying drawing by the same reference characters.

Referring to the drawing the numeral l designates the shank of my improved can opening tool, said shank being preferably in the form of a at metal bar provided with screw-threads on its opposite side-edges, as indicated at` 2, the threads preferably eX- tending only a portion of the length of the shank.

3 designates the handle of the device, said handle being preferably of cast met-al and preferably corrugated so as to provide agripping surface, the handle being formed with a longitudinal bore that isthreaded for a portion of its length as indicated at 1i, the

vthreaded end of the shank l engaging the serew-threads 4L of the handle, so as to produce a longitudinally adjustable connection between the handle and shank.

The handle 3 is formed at one end with an annular groove 5 which is engaged by a lip 6 which is formed on a collar 7, said collar being formed with an opening by which it is mounted to slide on the shank l. The collar 7 is also formed with a. recess 8 which accommodates a rotary cutter 9, the cutter being journaled in the recess on a pivot stud or screw l0, which is preferably entered in a transverse opening intersect-ing the recess S, being inserted through an aperture 11 so that the head of the pivot stud or screw, will be countersunk in the interior of the collar. The end of the stud is preferably upset or riveted, as clearly illustrated in the drawing, so as to hold it in place after it has once been inserted through the cutter.

The shank l is formed at its outer end with a laterally extending head portion l, said head carrying one or more rotary eutters l2 which lie in the same plane as the cutter 9. In the present instance, two of the cutters l2 are employed, the same being journaled upon pivot studs l22L that are secured to the opposite corners of the head la. Preferably the studs 12a are formed with reduced ends on which the cutters 12 are journaled, so as to provide for the free movement of the cutters and prevent any binding action. If desired, the shank l may be formed between the cutters with an opening l", by which the tool may be hung up on a nail or other support when-not desired for use.

From the foregoing description in connection with the accompanying drawing, the operation of my improved can opener will be apparent.

In the practical use of the device the tool is applied to the top of a can and the handle 3 screwed up so as to effect the engagement of the cutters 9 and 12 with the body por'- tion of the can preferably below the top of the same., The tool is then' given a turn around the body of the can, the handle being screwed, however, if found necessary in order to tightly bind the cutters against the body portion of the can and cause them to make an incision. By this means a clean cut` will be formed and the top of the can easily be remo-ved with very little trouble.

Obviously, the adjustable connection between the handle and shank, not only provides means whereby the opener may be used with cams of different diameters, but also enables the operator to bind the cutter as tightly as may be found necessary against the side of the can so as to cut into the tin as above described.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new is 1. The herein described can opener, comprising a threaded shank, a cutter carried by the shank, an interiorly threaded handle engaging the screw threads of the shank and formed at one end with an exterior annular groove, a collar mounted for a longitudinal movement on the shank and formed with a lip engaging in the groove of the handle, whereby a turning movement of the handle will slide the collar along the shank and at the same time move the handle itself along the shank, and a cutter carried by the collar.

'2. The herein described can opener, embodying a flat shank, a cutter carried by said shank, the shank being formed on its side edges with screw threads, a collar formed with a smooth opening on which it is mounted to slide freely on the shank and is held from.turning thereon, a cutter carried by the colla-r, and an interiorly threaded han dle receiving the shank and engaging the threads thereof, whereby a turning movement of the handle will move bothhandle with a lip engaging in said groove, the collar being also provided with a recess, a cutter journaled in said recess, and a by the shank.

4. A can opener, comprising a threaded shank, an interiorly threaded handle engaging the threads of the shank and formed withan exterior annular groove, a collar cutter carried mounted to move on said shank and formed l with a lip engaging the groove, whereby a turning movement of the handle will eifectk a. longitudinal movement of the handle, a 1

collar on the shank, the collar beingformed with a recess, a cutter mounted in said :recess, the collar being formed with an aperture extending thereacross and intersecting the recess, and a stud adapted to slip through the aperture across the recess and through the cutter received 1n sai/d recess, whereby to journal the cutter, the stud being engaged y l at one end by the shank, whereby to assist in holding the stud in place.

In testimony whereof, I afiiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HARRY W. SHEEHY. [L.s.] Witnesses:

Jnssn FAiLoR, ALFRED HERBERICH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner ef liatents, Washington, D. C. 

